Package heating apparatus



y 1954 J. c. CLEAVER ETAL 3, 67

PACKAGE HEATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1962 July 7, 1964 Filed Jan. 11, 1962 J. C. CLEAVER ETAL PACKAGE HEATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a?? "Ji -1146 By J il: 6' eave? y 7, 1964 J. c. CLEAVER ETAL 3,139,867

PACKAGE HEATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 y b u g z vez I 4 t Z y 1964 J. c. CLEAVER ETAL 3,139,867

PACKAGE HEATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,139,867 PACKAGE HEATING APPARATUS John C. Cleaver, River Hills, and Frank Gething, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Cleaver-Brooks Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Filed Jan. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 165,603 8 Claims. (Cl. 122406) The present invention relates to package heating apparatus. A specific aspect of the invention relates to package heating apparatus of the type used to generate a supply of hot water or low pressure steam. Another aspect of the invention is a package heating apparatus having particular structural details which facilitate shipment of the apparatus with a minimum of breakage. Still another aspect of the invention is a package heating apparatus having construction details which facilitate mass production. Although the invention is applicable to other types of heating apparatus, it will be described chiefly with respect to means for heating water to provide hot water.

The modern day tendency to mass produced items has resulted in so called package boilers being manufactured and applied in lieu of what was a few years ago a heating apparatus which was specially designed or constructed for a particular job. One problem with package boilers has been the fracturing of the fire brick during shipment from the factory to the job site. This has on occasion resulted in package boilers being shipped separately from the brick which latter is installed in the field.

One object of the invention is to provide a package boiler with a construction whereby the brick is secured in place in such fashion that breakage during shipment is reduced to a minimum while at the same time supporting the brick in operating position where it is ready for use once the package boiler is connected to the system in which it is to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package boiler having structural features which facilitate mass production.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a package boiler having structural features which facilitate repair and servicing.

By way of introduction to the following description, the present invention features a package boiler having a structure which is adaptable either to the heating of water or to the production of steam. Additionally, the boiler is so constructed that it can heat a plurality of separate streams of water, each for a difierent service, as for example, to provide service Water for washing, hot water for heating in a closed circuit, and so forth.

With reference to the means for supporting the brick during shipping, the following description will develop that the water tubes are so arranged as to abut the bricks and by cooperation with a casing of the boiler, to secure the bricks in place. The combination of elements is such that the tubes, casing, brick, and other components cooperate to the end that a readily transportable and easily installed package boiler results.

Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the associated drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 represents schematically a package water boiler according to the invention in a system providing hot water for heating, service consumption (e.g., washing) and service reuse (e.g., swimming pool).

FIG. 2 represents a partially cutaway assembly view of a package water boiler according to the invention, and shows the general arrangement of elements for heating water.

FIG. 3 represents in side elevation a partial cutaway and cross-section of a package boiler having supplemental heating tubes as used in FIG. 1.

3,139,867 Patented July 7, 1964 FIG. 4 represents in front elevation a package boiler as used in FIG. 1, having supplemental heating tubes.

FIG. 5 illustrates a structural arrangement for supporting fire brick around the burner region of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail through 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a partial top plan view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1-4 illustrating the juxtaposition of the supplemental heating tubes.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a partial side cross section along 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 represents a partially cut away assembly of a modified embodiment which is adapted for generating steam.

FIG. 10a is a view of the tubing header assembly with the front plate removed to show the inlet and return legs of the steam generating unit.

FIG. 11 represents a partial cross-section through the tubing header and manifold showing a modification for forced circulation water heating.

FIG. 12 represents a partial section along 1212 of FIG. 10 (or FIG. 2) showing a cooperative arrangement between tubes, fire brick, and casing whereby the brick is supported.

FIG. 13 is a detail of the water tubes as seen in plan.

FIG. 14 is a view along 14-14 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 1 represents a system incorporating a package boiler 10 according to the invention. The boiler 10 heats water for use in a swimming pool 12, provides hot water to a heating system having a plurality of hot water heaters 14 of any conventional type, and provides hot water for consumption by Way of washing and the like as shown at 16.

The service consumption system 16 receives cool water from any conventional source (e.g., a city water main) which is delivered through a conduit 20 to an appropriate portion of the boiler 10, which portion will be described below in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6-9. The heated water leaves the boiler 10 through conduit 22, travels to the system 16 where it is used, and then exits to the sewer through an appropriate drain connection 24. This may be termed an open loop system since the water is not recirculated to the boiler from the place of use, system 16.

The swimming pool 12 and hot water radiators 14 are both closed loop systems in the sense that the water is returned to the boiler for reheating. Makeup water is added to the extent necessary to systems 14, 12 in any well known conventional manner. Hot water leaving the boiler 10 goes to the radiators 14 through a conduit 26 and after passing through the various radiators 14 is collected in a return line 28 which returns the water to its appropriate portion of the boiler heating loop which will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 primarily.

Hot water is circulated to the swimming pool through conduit 30 and after cooling and being passed through a filtration system to purify it, is returned to an appropriate heating loop in the boiler via return conduit 32.

As will be developed below, individual means are provided for heating the water provided to the respective systems 12, 14 and 16. In this fashion, each stream of water can receive its own individual chemical or physical treatment without disturbing such treatments as may be required for the other streams of water. For example, the swimming pool 12 requires filtration of the water as well as chlorination. On the other hand, the hot water for the heating system 14 should have a minimum of chemicals in it because of the higher temperature involved and the dangers of fouling heat transfer surfaces.

FIGS. 2 and 3 depict the general arrangements of elements for heating water. It will be observed that the package boiler 10 is enclosed in a housing assembly 34 having a removable front door 36 and a skirt 33 in which are formed a plurality of louvers 40 through which air is drawn to the burners 42. The conduit 44 provides fuel to the burners. Preferably, gas is used as a fuel although heating oil and the like may also be employed. A combustion gas outlet 46 is provided at the top of the housing and extends completely through the insulation 54- to space 48 into communication with the combustion chamber via hole 53 through the top member 50 of the combustion chamber casing assembly 52. Open commu nication across space 48 eliminates thermal expansion stresses which could arise from extension of outlet 46 across space 48 to secure to plate 50. The insulation space 48 includes any conventional type of insulation, preferably that of board-like structure as at 54, whereby the latter may be glued or screwed or otherwise secured to the inside of the housing 34. An air space of suitable character may be provided, if desired, as a means for insulating.

In FIGS. 24 and 13 and 14, there is shown a tubing header and manifold assembly 56 operatively associated with a tube bundle 57. The tube bundle is disposed above the combustion space, i.e., above the burners 42. The tube bundle includes a plurality of serpentine tubes 53 arranged in vertical staggered relation and connected to a tube sheet 59 (a part of the assembly 56) at both ends of the tube so that the upper end of each tube 60 and the lower end 62 of each tube are respectively connected vertically one above the other as illustrated. The upper and lower tube ends 60, 62 are also connected adjacent, respectively, the upper and lower ends of the tube sheet 59.

The U bends 64, or return bends, of which each tube has a plurality in order to define its serpentine shape, each have an elliptical cross section with the major axis on the ellipse extending horizontally (FIGS. 13 and 14). The elliptical or oval cross section is formed as a result of the bending of the tubes, as is commonly known. The spacing of the tubes on a center to center basis is adjusted by positioning their connections to the tube sheet so that the tubes mutually abut at the point 66 at the ends, in such fashion that the ovality of the tubes creates the spaces 68 between the respective tubes (as seen in planFIG. l3) and so that the center lines 69 of the respective tubes are substantially parallel, thus arranging all of the tubes in parallel fashion. The unique center to center spacing takes into account the amount of ovality and thereby produces a tube bundle 57 having a generally rectangular configuration around its external limits. The advantage of an external rectangular configuration is that the casing assembly 52 can abut thereagainst and be manufactured to a rectangular shape. Economies in production and assembly are effected by allowing the casing assembly to be shaped in the style of a rectangular parallelepiped, thus promoting the ability of mass producing a package boiler according to the invention.

The tubing header assembly 56 has already been stated to have one side defining the tube sheet 59. The assembly 56 is also constructed so that a reservoir 76 is defined whereby a body of water or other liquid to be heated is stored and can circulate by thermosiphonic action through the various serpentine tubes. Accordingly, the tubing header has a top plate 73 from each end of which depend right and left hand sides '74, 76. The sides extend to the bottom plate 78. A front plate 80 is secured between the top and bottom plates and sides in opposed relation to the tube sheet 59. Elements 59, 7280 are all welded together or otherwise secured one to another so as to define a sealed space for the reservoir 70. Stay bolts 75 are provided in the center of the header assembly.

As best seen in FIG. 6, an access port 32 is provided at the upper and lower ends of the front plate 30 and appropriate removable sealing means are provided to the end that the ports may be opened and the interior of the reservoir inspected. Also, the tubes may be inspected and cleaned using the access ports. The ports are sealed by an elongated plate 84 having a plurality of studs 86 extending outwardly therefrom. A U-shaped clamp 87 having a hole through which the stud extends is placed over each stud and removably secured thereto by means of a nut 88 which threadedly engages the end of the stud. A gasket 89 is disposed between the plate 84 and the edges of the front plate surrounding the access port.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate the details of the preferred fashion for heating a separate stream of water. This involves a supplemental immersed tube bundle 90 for each separate system and having a plurality of serpentine immersible tubes extending into the reservoir 70 through a hole 93 in the top plate 73. A mounting flange 94 supports the tube bundle from the top plate. A plurality of stud bolts 96, stud nuts 98, and a gasket enable sealably securing the tube bundle to the top plate.

The flange 94 provides suitable inlet and outlet connections to, for example, the swimming pool 12 or washing facilities 16 of FIG. 1. An inlet connection 102 and inlet manifold 103 are formed integrally with the flange to provide a connection to conduit 20 or 32 whereby all of the individual tubes 92 are in communication at the inlet end with a stream of water entering from conduit 20 or 32. In similar fashion the outlet connection 104 and outlet manifold 105 place the outlet ends of the respective tubes in communication with the outlet conduit 22 or 30 which is shown in FIG. 1 as supplying the swimming pool with heated Water.

It is to be understood that a plurality, preferably two, of the immersed tube bundles and their associated elements are employed. As shown in FIG. 1, two of these are used to supply individual separate streams of heated water for services having different problems and requirements, all of which are different from the water or heated fluid stream which is passing through the reservoir 70. As seen in FIG. 3, the immersed bundle 90 preferably extends from the upper end of the reservoir to close to its bottom end and preferably is supported at an intermediate place therebetween by a support plate 107. The support plate 107 may comprise a baflle extending across the reservoir whereby makeup and return water (cold or of low temperature) entering at connection 28 is required to move to the inlet or lower end 62 of the tube bundle 57.

The individual tubes 92 are preferably bent to as compact a serpentine shape as possible and are disposed as close together as feasible to present a maximum amount of heat transfer surface with a minimum volume. Again, the ovality of the tubes at the ends of the serpentine members serves to maintain a certain small spacing whereby Water in the reservoir 70 may circulate through such spacing to effectuate the transfer of heat. The upper ends of the tubes 92 are welded, brazed, or otherwise secured to the flange member 94, as represented at the connection 106 of FIG. 9.

In the preferred embodiment the top plate 73 has provisions for accommodating two of the immersible tube bundles 90. An advantage to this structure is that the package boiler may then be readily converted to the production of steam instead of hot water, as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 10 where a steam drum 110 is provided, mounted atop the tubing header assembly 56. The steam drum inlet leg 112 is secured by a suitable flange (resembling 94 in external contour) to one of the top plate holes 93. A similarly constructed liquid return leg 114 which extends to the bottom of the header is provided whereby liquid in the drum 110 may he returned via 114 through the other hole 93 in the top plate to the bottom of header 56. The respective holes 93 correspond to those previously referred to for connection to the immersed bundle 90 and the corresponding mounting flange therefor.

The steam drum 110 is on any conventional construction and may further include such conventional devices as a pressure gauge 116, a safety valve 118, and the like. Preferably, the steam outlet is provided from the top of the drum so that moisture entrained in the steam has a chance to drop out in the drum and during such vertical path as the steam may have to travel through. Returning condensate or makeup fresh water, or both, may be returned to the reservoir through the conduit 28. It is manifest that when employing the steam drum 110, the various immersed tube bundles are not employed and that the boiler is operated to impart suflicient heat to the water to vaporize a quantity sufficient to meet the steam requirements.

An alternative embodiment is represented in FIG. 11 where forced circulation is employed for heating water. This embodiment is preferably employed without immersed tube bundles, the top plate holes 93 being closed by blind flanges of an appropriate nature, or by flanges 94 having the connections 102 and 104 plugged by any appropriate means. As shown in FIG. 11, the forced circulation embodiment involves a circulating pump 122 mounted so that the pump impeller 124 receives cool incoming liquid and cool liquid, if any, exiting from the upper tube ends 60 and pump the same into the lower tube ends 62. To promote the circulation from the impeller to the lower tube ends, a baffle 126 of appropriate nature is provided and preferably includes as portion 128 (shown as vertical) having an impeller shroud 130 positioned closely adjacent the tips of the impeller.

The impeller is driven by a pump motor 132 which is secured by appropriate bolts and the like to the front plate of the manifolds 56.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 12, a plurality of individual fire bricks 140 is provided to surround the space where the burners 42 are situated. The fire brick is held in place during operation and during shipment from factory to construction site by the cooperation of the easing 52, the lower left hand and right hand serpentine tubes 58, and a brick underpinning structure designated generically as 142. The underpinning includes a pair of channels 144 extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the burner chamber. A lateral channel 146 extends across the rear of the burner chamber. The longitudinal and lateral channels are so arranged that their webs and flanges meet along the line of intersection, whereby the channel-like cross section in which the bricks 140 are seated is continuous. The longitudinal and lateral channels are preferably welded to each other. As noted, the fire brick 140 seats snugly in the channel-like space, as illustrated in FIG. 12 and in FIG. 5.

Inverted spacer channel members 148 support the lon gitudinal and lateral channels above structural elements of the skirt 38. In this fashion, a space 150 is provided through which air can flow en route to the burners 42. The inverted channels 148 are advantageously spot welded to the skirt structure and to the longitudinal and lateral channels. The skirt 38 may be flanged along its upper edge (FIG. 12) in order to provide a welding surface. If desired, the inverted channels 148 may be extended outwardly in order that the housing assembly 34 may be assembled thereto as by bolts 152.

The casing assembly 52 cooperates with the underpinning and the tubes in the tube bundle to secure the firebrick in place. The casing assembly advantageously includes a pair of longitudinal parallel side members 160 each attached at one end to the tubing header and manifold assembly, at the other end attached to the laterally extending rear member 162 of the casing. The top 50 is secured to the sides 160, the casing rear 162, and the manifold assembly.

FIG. 12 illustrates how the two lower tubes on the left hand and right hand sides are arranged to abut the fire brick 40 longitudinally of the tubes in such fashion that the extreme left hand tube (58A in FIG. 12) longitudinally abuts the top side of the brick thereby to prevent vertical shifting during transportation of the boiler. The lowermost left hand (or right hand) tube 58B abuts the upper inside edge of the bricks and cooperates with the 6 flange 154 to secure the brick against lateral shifting. The flange 154 is preferably formed integrally with the sides 160 of the casing 52 along the lower edge thereof and is preferably an offset flange defining a Z cross section as used in FIG. 12.

The view of FIG. 12 illustrates the manner in which bricks in the longitudinal channel 144 are secured in place against vertical and lateral motion. These bricks also abut against the forward casing wall 156 (FIG. 3) and the lateral bricks (FIG. 5) in the lateral channel 146 thereby avoiding longitudinal shifting. The lateral bricks are secured in place by the cooperation between the lateral offset flange 158 (FIG. 3) extending across the rear member 162 of the casing 52 and the ends of the longitudinal bricks in the longitudinal channels. Occasionally during the mass production procedures, the lowermost U bend 64 on the tubes 58 physically contact the inside corner of the lateral bricks. When the tubes extending longitudinally (FIG. 12) do not physically engage the bricks, a grouting or cement may be employed to establish this connection.

Preferably, the cement involves an asbestos paste which remains as a very thick, heavy paste until subjected to the heat of actual combustion. The paste then dries out leaving primarily only asbestos. Such pastes have been well known in the furnace art for years, and while preferred to the employment of cement and grouting, is not per se a part of the invention.

It is to be understood that the row of lowermost tube bends which abuts the lateral row of fire brick helps to maintain the fire brick in place, only one fire tube being shown in FIG. 3 for the purposes of clarity.

It will therefore be observed, in connection with the structure of FIGS. 7-10 particularly, that a package boiler has been provided which has structural features which are adaptable either to the heating of water or to the production of steam. This involves a tubing manifold having a top plate 73 in which preferably there are two holes 93 which can receive either the immersed tube bundles 90, respectively, or which may be sealably connected by appropriate flange means on the bottoms of legs 114 and 112 to establish communication between the manifold and the steam drum.

Moreover, the embodiment of FIG. 11 represents an advantageous configuration for achieving forced circulation on those occasions when it is desired to do so.

A further advantage of the above structure is certain features that enable mass production of package boilers. In this connection, the readily assembled channel-andlike brick construction of FIG. 5 allows production to proceed apace while at the same time such construction provides a means for maintaining the fire brick in place during transportation. It is to be observed that the external casing, particularly the skirt 38, provides a structural means on which the brick underpinning 142 may advantageously be mounted. As previously noted, the generally rectangular configuration obtained by the center spacing of the tubes (per FIG. 13) allows the use of a generally rectangular casing assembly 52. This facilitates mass production and also improves the heat transfer relationship between the casing wall and the tube 58 which is adjacent thereto. The improved heat transfer relation in turn allows the wall to operate at a cooler temperature due to the heat absorption by the water or other fluid traveling through the tubes 58.

While the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments and applications, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited strictly thereto but is to further include those equivalents, modifications, alternative constructions, substitutions of parts known to the art, and the like such as fall within the spirit or the terms of the annexed claims. While certain theories of operations have been offered herewith, it is to be understood that the invention is directed not to the theory but is independent of the theory.

We claim:

1. A package boiler having a rectangular base and a tubing header assembly extending vertically upward from one end of said base,

an underpinning structure disposed to extend laterally and longitudinally on said base,

said structure including a plurality of channels each disposed with its web downward and its flanges upward,

a number of fire bricks disposed in said channels in side-by-side relation and extending upward therefrom thereby forming the lower walls of the combustion chamber,

a casing assembly disposed upon the said fire brick and defining the upper side and top walls of the combustion chamber,

said casing assembly having an offset flange portion along its lower edge which engages the outside upper edge of said fire bricks,

a plurality of tubes connected to said header and extending longitudinally into said casing assembly,

at least one of said tubes being in abutting relation to the top surface of the longitudinally extending fire bricks and at least another of said tubes being horizontally offset from and vertically below the last-said one tube and in abutting relation to the inside upper face of the longitudinally extending fire bricks.

2. A package boiler according to claim 1 wherein said tubing header assembly includes additional heat exchange means and support for positioning such heat exchange means inside said tubing header and assembly whereby fluid circulating through said tube bundle flows in heat exchange relation past said additional heat exchange means.

3. A package boiler according to claim 1 including a steam drum means having inlet and return legs mounted on said header assembly and support means for positioning the inlet and return legs within the tubing header assembly whereby steam in said header assembly will enter the steam drum through said inlet leg and fluid within the steam drum can return to the header assembly through the return leg.

4. A package boiler according to claim 1 including channel means for supporting said underpinning structure a spaced distance from said base.

5. In a package boiler having a vertical rectangular tubing header and manifold assembly mounted on one end of a rectangular base the combination of means for supporting the combustion chamber for said boiler on said base comprising channel means mounted on said base and extending longitudinally along both sides of said base and laterally across the other end of said base,

a number of fire bricks positioned side-by-side in said channel means thereby forming the lower walls of the combustion chamber,

a casing assembly disposed upon the upper surface of said fire bricks thereby defining the upper sidewalls and top wall of the combustion chamber,

said casing assembly having an offset flange portion along its lower edge which engages the outside upper edge of said fire bricks,

a tube means mounted on said header and extending longitudinally in said combustion chamber, said tube means having at least one tube engaging the upper surface of said longitudinal fire brick and another tube engaging the inside upper face of said longitudinal fire bricks.

6. In a package boiler according to claim 5 wherein the lateral fire bricks are held in position between the inside surface of said casing assembly and the ends of said longitudinal fire brick.

7. In a package boiler according to claim 6 wherein said channel means has vertically extending flanges interconnected by a web.

8. In a package boiler according to claim 7 including support means between said channel means and said base thereby allowing for the free flow of air between said base and channel means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 229,173 Parks June 22, 1880 969,117 Pollard Aug. 30, 1910 1,064,175 Sewall June 10, 1913 1,672,480 Bryan June 5, 1928 2,189,443 Brantly Feb. 6, 1940 2,627,252 Mohn Feb. 3, 1953 2,910,972 Swaney Nov. 3, 1959 

1. A PACKAGE BOILER HAVING A RECTANGULAR BASE AND A TUBING HEADER ASSEMBLY EXTENDING VERTICALLY UPWARD FROM ONE END OF SAID BASE, AN UNDERPINNING STRUCTURE DISPOSED TO EXTEND LATERALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY ON SAID BASE, SAID STRUCTURE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CHANNELS EACH DISPOSED WITH ITS WEB DOWNWARD AND ITS FLANGES UPWARD, A NUMBER OF FIRE BRICKS DISPOSED IN SAID CHANNELS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION AND EXTENDING UPWARD THEREFROM THEREBY FORMING THE LOWER WALLS OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, A CASING ASSEMBLY DISPOSED UPON THE SAID FIRE BRICK AND DEFINING THE UPPER SIDE AND TOP WALLS OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID CASING ASSEMBLY HAVING AN OFFSET FLANGE PORTION ALONG ITS LOWER EDGE WHICH ENGAGES THE OUTSIDE UPPER EDGE OF SAID FIRE BRICKS, A PLURALITY OF TUBES CONNECTED TO SAID HEADER AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY INTO SAID CASING ASSEMBLY, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TUBES BEING IN ABUTTING RELATION TO THE TOP SURFACE OF THE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FIRE BRICKS AND AT LEAST ANOTHER OF SAID TUBES BEING HORIZONTALLY OFFSET FROM AND VERTICALLY BELOW THE LAST-SAID ONE TUBE AND IN ABUTTING RELATION TO THE INSIDE UPPER FACE OF THE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FIRE BRICKS. 